The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-06-02
!, i,i,UR WAsHINGTON LETTER.

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be encountered in attempting 9 detailed
account Of great National Drill, even
were the space allotted me much greater
than that afforded, by the columns of a
newspaper, I will not attempt to discuss
the subject in detail. The gentlemen
constituting the comrittee which, q few
months since, conceived Of, and have
since perfected and carried into execu-
5tion, the details of SO stupendous under.
taking as that involved in the bringing
together in friendly competition the rep.
.resentatiye military. organizations. OF
thirty:ons States and Territories, may
justly ;fesl proud Of the success Of their
undertaking. -
The space surrounding the Washing.
ton Monument, covered with itsswhite
tents, rendered brilliant BY the varied
uniforms and regimental colors Of the
various organizations represented, and
the scene enlivened by. the strains Of.
martial music, serve to recall the days OF
1851 and '62, when, as noa, the streets OF
the National Capital echoed to the tread. .
,of:ma,ching regiments. From Oregon Z. to
Maine aud from Wisconsin, to Texas,
nearly every State in the Union, sent her
quota. to-: the Drill. and whatever the
decision of the judges may be as to the
relative merits Of the various organiza,
;tions;; it may Ebe truthfully said that
without a single exception, everyone Of
the sixty companies present at. the Drill
presented creditable appearance, both
in camp and upon the battle-ground, and
the Nation may be justly proud that in
hsrs.itizsns soldiery she possesses stand
:ing army which willscompare favorabiy,
sif not in: point ofsnumbss, at least in
proficiency in military discipline, with
the expensive standing armies OF foreign
nations. -
unexpected incident occurred in
c,onnection with the parade oa Wednes-
sday eveDingIt Il had been expected that
sall Of the visiting companies would par
:ticipate in the parade. Several Of the
Southern companies, upon learning that
two colored organizations had been
assigned position in the line, refused TO
march in their company. .szi:5. b.,
The exhibition drills Of the various
zouaye companies were, to the general
public, the most interesting of all the
exhibitions given by the visiting compa.
nies. The manner in shieh the various
fancy movements, wheeling, marching,
ibayonet and skirmish drills were execut.
ed, were wonderful. One oftheir feats-
the scaling Of a fifteen foot fence-Was,
perhaps, The most difficult yet attempted
upon q drill ground. At,:.the word of
command they, broke for the fence,
rapidly formed pyramid, tossed up and
passed over their guns, andssith catelike
agility followed themselves. When but
two men remained, and the spectators
were guessing out a way of saving them,
one jumped upon the shoulders of the
other, thence to the top of the fence, and
There turned. about and helped up bis
fellow. ..-
On Wednesday. evening the camp was
visited by the moss severe thunder storm
of the season, bat aside froul the over.
turning of two or three ofthe cents which
had not been properly secured, and the
consequent drenching Of the occupants,
little damage was done.
The President, accompanied BY Mr..
Cleveland, Mr.. and Mrs. Lamont, and q
party Of select friends, left Washington
ION Thursday last for the Adirondack
region, wheretLey will spend few days
in recreation upon the shores Of saranac
Lake. It's expected that the President
will return to Washington on the 9th Of
June, and that he will spend the Summer
months al. his country residence. ii. $
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